NTR Introduces Killer Barrier on Drogheda Bypass

boynevalleybridge2 Originally uploaded by iomhanna.

You don't expect traffic hazards at 7:20 on a Saturday morning. Because there's no traffic on the motorway you just cruise along, watching for anything that might be 500 of 700 metres ahead. Plenty of time to identify a hazard, slow down and stop. We were still probably 500 metres from the Drogheda Bypass toll booth when the lanes started funneling us into a lane, towards either the cash toll booth or the electronic Eazipass booths. I was going to pay cash, but couldn't figure out which lane I should be in, because hey, I was 500 metres from the toll booth. This shouldn't have been a problem, because I'd be able to change lane once I got up to the toll booth, by wriggling across a lane. Why not; after all, there was nobody else on the road. Out of nowhere, a dot matrix board flashed up "YOU ARE NOT AN EAZIPASS CUSTOMER." Very true, couldn't argue with that. But so what? The next second a barrier crashed down in front of me, out of nowhere. In one second I had gone from having no hazards within 20 seconds of me to having a lethal hazard 4.5 seconds away. I spent 3.3 seconds slowing down gradually. Then I hit the brake hard for the final 1.2 seconds. The car stopped inches from the barrier. I was a fraction of a second from either (a) being dead of (b) introducing barrier free tolling on the M1. Luckily, I have new tyres. What I want to know is, is this really necessary? If I get to the Eazipass reader and I don't have an RFID tag, surely I can just change lanes? Or take the cash option? That's what people do on the M50 every day. Is it really necessary to introduce the death penalty on the Drogheda Bypass? Image: Drogheda Bypass Bridge at night